Barbour EHS’ Post

The new government has promised to consult on adjustments to the “complex area” of employment status, including scrapping the UK’s current three-tier system and creating a single status of ‘worker’ in which people are either employed or self-employed. As part of Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay, which was published before its election victory and outlined proposed reforms to workers’ rights, the party said it would “transition to a simpler two-part framework for employment status” and will consult in detail on a simpler framework that “differentiates between workers and the genuinely self-employed”. How could this impact your organisation? https://bit.ly/3MBy3fK #ReedTalentSolutions #EmploymentStatus #MakeWorkPay #Worker #Government

Interesting changes ahead under the new government as they have promised to consult on adjustments to the “complex area” of employment status, including scrapping the UK’s current three-tier system and creating a single status of ‘worker’ in which people are either employed or self-employed. As part of Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay, which was published before its election victory and outlined proposed reforms to workers’ rights, the party said it would “transition to a simpler two-part framework for employment status” and will consult in detail on a simpler framework that “differentiates between workers and the genuinely self-employed”. What impact could this have on your workforce? Andrea Makings #ReedHR #EmploymentStatus #Worker #MakeWorkPay #Government

The new government has promised to consult on adjustments to the “complex area” of employment status, including scrapping the UK’s current three-tier system and creating a single status of ‘worker’ in which people are either employed or self-employed. As part of Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay, which was published before its election victory and outlined proposed reforms to workers’ rights, the party said it would “transition to a simpler two-part framework for employment status” and will consult in detail on a simpler framework that “differentiates between workers and the genuinely self-employed”. What impact could this have on your workforce? https://bit.ly/3MBy3fK #Reedbusinesssupport #EmploymentStatus #Worker #MakeWorkPay #Government 

Back in May of this year, Labour released their “Plan to Make Work Pay”: a 20-page document full of changes to be fulfilled within their first 100 days in power, which became a key talking point for the party in the lead-up to the general election. Now that they’ve been elected, we will be exploring some of the changes that the world of work can expect. The end of “One-Sided Flexibility”: This refers to several regulations enforcing workers' rights, allowing for the relationship between employers and employees to feel more equal. Ending one-sided flexibility would mean banning zero-hour contracts, and instead giving workers a contract that accurately reflects the number of hours typically worked in a 12-week reference period. This change would also entitle employees to reasonable notice about changes in shifts and proportionate compensation for any loss of income. This section of the manifesto also called for the banning of fire and rehire, however as of now, this has yet to be fully implemented and instead, a new code of practice emphasising that fire and rehire is a last resort has been published. In addition to this, they have also promised to introduce day-one rights including protection from unfair dismissal, parental leave and sick pay. Once these laws come into place, your business will need to act fast to remain legally compliant. Get in touch with us if you and your business need support in times of change! #employmentlaw #politics #contracts #hr #humanresources #business #management

Labour's recent proposal for a single worker status aims to simplify the complex UK employment classification system, transitioning from the current three-tier system to a more straightforward two-part framework. This change is part of Labour's 'Plan to Make Work Pay', which seeks to enhance workers' rights and protections by ensuring that all individuals have clear access to their employment rights from day one. However, while the intention is to improve job security and reduce confusion for both employees and employers, concerns remain about potential increased costs and administrative challenges for businesses adapting to the new framework. Find out more in this article: https://heyor.ca/LFXQGL #Labour #UKEmployment #SingleWorkerStatus #WorkPay

Happy Monday, everyone! Labour's manifesto 'Change' is set to bring a wave of new employment legislation within their first 100 days. With Keir Starmer announcing an extended Parliament to push these changes through, it's clear they’re ready to hit the ground running. From a recruitment agency perspective, these changes will have a significant impact on businesses, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. Here’s what to expect from Labour’s ‘Plan to make work pay: Delivering a new deal for working people’: Increased Employee Costs: We can expect higher costs due to raises in the national minimum wage and the introduction of sick pay from the first day of absence. This means businesses will need to carefully plan their budgets to accommodate these changes. Employment Status Reforms: Ending exploitative zero-hour contracts is a positive step for worker rights, but it will require businesses to rethink their staffing strategies to ensure compliance. Enhanced Employee Protections: The right to unfair dismissal protection from day one and extended time to bring claims means businesses need to be more diligent with their employment practices. Right to Disconnect: Policies allowing employees to switch off after work hours could change how businesses manage after-hours communication and workload expectations. Greater Union Involvement: With more union presence and a statutory body to investigate firms, businesses will need to engage more closely with labour organisations and understand the new dynamics. We know that navigating these changes can feel overwhelming. We’re here to support you every step of the way. Our team is dedicated to helping you understand these new regulations and how they affect your business. By staying informed and prepared, we can ensure that you remain compliant and resilient through these legislative shifts. For more detailed insights, check out our whitepaper, which dives into these changes and what they mean for your business. Let's tackle these challenges together and keep moving forward. Have a great week! #LabourLegislation #EmploymentLaw #BusinessPreparedness #RecruitmentInsights #HappyMonday

The new Labour government in the UK is prepared to introduce an Employment Bill that reforms the workplace with provisions for flexible work, hybrid work, and the right to disconnect. I wonder how many other governments are working on similar bills right now. Most companies are profit-driven, so it is understandable that their decisions like RTO, will be made on that basis. Relying on the good intentions of companies to make pro-employee decisions may not be a effective. As Jeff Bezos has said, "Good intentions don't work; mechanisms work." In this case, the mechanisms are the laws and regulations put in place by policymakers. This is arguably why employees in Europe enjoy more job security than in the US - it's a result of stronger worker protections. Of course, one could argue that such policies can slow down economic growth and innovation. It's a tradeoff: faster growth with more disposable employment, or slower growth with greater respect for employee rights. Rather than demonizing individual companies for their RTO mandates, perhaps we can see that we are not as powerless as we might think. Yes, we can individually seek out companies with the flexibility and benefits we desire, but we can also support policymakers who are willing to enshrine these employee rights into law. Only then, we will not need to rely on the good intentions of employers.

Details are emerging about the new right to disconnect which was included in the Labour Party's manifesto pledge to make work pay. Employees won’t be able to bring a freestanding claim if their employer repeatedly contacts them out of hours, but a tribunal will be able to take this into consideration if they bring another claim and may be able to increase any compensation awarded. This blog explains what we know, and what we don’t. #employment #employmentlaw #righttoswitchoff #compensation #codeofpractice #employmentbill

RIGHT TO DISCONNECT The Labor Government to pass a bill that will make it illegal to call employees after working hours. The bill is set to "close the loopholes" like 1) same-job same-pay (which goes very nicely with last year's bill that makes salary non-disclose clauses in contracts of employment illegal), 2) minimum standards for the gig economy and road transport industry, make wage theft a criminal offence, 3) make it easier for casual workers who work full-time hours to transition into a full-time permanent position 4) make it illegal to discriminate against employees on the basis they have been subjected to family or domestic violence. And other important changes. Greens have asked for the right of disconnect to be included in the bill and Labour have agreed to it. It's important to note this won't affect those who are paid to be on call, where their job description requires it or where there’s an emergency. The argument is that if the employee is not paid to be on call, they also should be expected to be on call. The bill is expected to pass as between Labour and Green votes they have it on the bag, and it should be effective from Christmas. This is fantastic news and the most radical (and very much needed) industrial change we had in forever. ...Genocide is still happening though, with the support of the Australian Government, so let's not forget that. https://lnkd.in/gq5jHhJV